


expensive mistakes

by MelodramaticMrTails



Series: Talon [3]
Category: DCU (Comics), Deathstroke the Terminator (Comics)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Earth-3, Electrocution, Manipulation, Multi, Sexual Content, Threats, Verbal Abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2019-12-29
Packaged: 2021-02-26 10:40:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21848335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelodramaticMrTails/pseuds/MelodramaticMrTails
Summary: Talon has always had his eyes set on the Wilson family but why?
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Joseph Wilson
Series: Talon [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1342666
Comments: 8
Kudos: 40





	1. Grant

Dick really isn't a _team_ player. 

As much as he's trying to take this as Bruce only trusting him enough to make sure it goes off without a hitch, he doesn't particularly like doing it. Especially not when it seems like Bruce is taking more and more 'solo' time with Tim. Tim was supposed to be _Dick's_ plaything and Bruce is trying to turn him into some sort of _Jason_ replacement. 

Dick's knee throbs. 

"Blackfire, Arsenal," Dick says, coming along beside the two of them and gripping their necks firmly. Kori laughs softly, giving him a mischievous grin as he smiles at the two of them. "If you two truly can't satisfy each other in the bedroom, I'd be more than glad to help when we're not in the _middle of something_?" 

"The cyborg and the changeling have it under control," Roy replies dryly, shrugging Dick's hand off of him and pulling Kori closer to his side. Kori gives Dick a flirtatious smile that makes Roy less than pleased but he would never comment on that. Dick lifts up on his toes to draw closer to Roy's face. 

"I didn't realise leadership got handed over to you, Arsenal," he purrs with a venomous smile. Roy sneers. "Because last time _I_ checked, I told you to _watch the roofs_." 

" _For what_?" Roy snaps back. He's lucky. A few seconds too late lucky, but lucky nonetheless. Dick hits him hard enough to floor him and he springs back with a vengeance. Kori grabs Roy around the neck before he gets very far, just barely holding him back from Dick. 

"Play nice, boys," she hums. "We have company." 

"For _that_ , Arsenal," Dick assures him sweetly. His 'team', and god does he use that term lightly, all turn to look at the figure that approaches their operation with all the confidence someone dressed as idiotic as him shouldn't have. He stops, looks around, then focuses on Dick specifically. Considering everyone else on their team is meta, enhanced, or built like a fucking brick shit house; yeah, Dick is obviously the leader. 

"I'm sorry, this block is actually quarantined right now," Dick alerts with a charming smile.

"Back away from the building," the man instructs as if he hasn't heard at all. "And no one has to get hurt." No one says anything immediately, curiously looking at him as he looks at Dick through his dumb fucking mask. Then they're laughing. 

"And who the hell are you again?" Roy asks. 

"Ravager," he replies. "And I was really hoping you wouldn't back off that easy." 

He's HIVE, Dick can tell that right away. He's big, too, likely altered and pumped full of who knows what. With President Wilson funding the Brotherhood, and by extension HIVE, they've been getting cocky lately. They think they can go toe to toe with League members and while they've yet to be successful, they've made their point more than once. 

People are starting to rally with them; weak but there. 

Dick isn't going to take any chances. 

"Kid Flash," Dick hums. "Why don't you show Ravager here a nice welcome." Wally lowers his googles with a smirk. 

"Gladly." 

This is going to be fun. Wally bolts forward at Ravager and in an instant, they collide. Ravager stops Wally hard, grabbing him in a strong arm around the throat and flinging him into a nearby building. The speedsters are veritable gods; that's impressive. Ravager turns back to them and then he's walking towards them, drawing his sword as he goes. Dick smiles wider. 

"Well now, where did you get that?" he asks. Ravager swings at him hard but Dick doesn't so much as flinch. Kori grabs his arm with sheer strength and Roy gets some distance to get a clean shot. Ravager twists away from her to avoid the arrow and hastily tries to swing before she puts him down. His sword cuts her suit but not her skin and she puts him on the floor in a single blow. He doesn't lose grip of his sword.

Roy fires another arrow dead at his head and he rolls away with surprising speed- and durability to withstand a punch like that from Kori. He summersaults back to his feet and rolls out of the way as Kori lunges at him again. 

"Do you even know what you're holding?" Dick asks. Ravager blocks Kori's blows but with each one, he's driven another step back. Donna catches him off guard from behind, grabbing him by both shoulders and throwing him into a different building hard enough to collapse most of the front wall. Kori follows up by blasting him with a starbolt. 

Ravager doesn't stay down long. He rockets back out of the rubble, seemingly without a scratch. Donna blocks his sword with her cuffs and Kori blasts him again while he's focused on her. He pivots swiftly, trying to keep Donna between them as a shield. Unfortunately, Kori quickly grows tired of this and simply blasts Donna, knocking her out, and going for Ravager next. Obviously not expecting such a heartless maneuver, he's caught off guard. 

He's equally caught off guard by deflecting one of her bolts with his sword- directly into an incoming Wally. 

Dick's headache is coming back ten fold. He motions swiftly for Victor and Garfield to move in. Roy fires off a rapid series of shots that Ravager cuts away as he moves for cover. Kori grows more and more annoyed by his evasion by the second and with it, more reckless, blasting holes and craters all over the street and into buildings haphazardly. 

"Sweetheart!" Dick calls. "If you damage the goods, Owlman will not be the only one after your head!" Kori actively ignores him, obviously not fussed by the idea. 

This is becoming more of a nightmare than he ever could have hoped. Because what they really need are _more_ lasers, Victor takes a slightly more careful and accurate aim. Something that finally pays off and knocks Ravager off his feet. Garfield launches on him in a second, taking the opportunity to pounce with deadly claws while he's down. Proving he can take a blow or two, Ravager is quick to get his feet up and kick Garfield back with force. 

"Owlman, Talon. We have a problem here," Dick informs. 

"You are there to take care of problems," Bruce answers. Dick rolls his eyes. Figures. It would have helped if Bruce hadn't saddled him with a bunch of limp wristed misfits. He sighs deeply as Garfield is sent flying into an already broken building. 

Half their team already down. 

Dick twirls his escrima stick out from it's holster and spins it between his fingers while he watches Ravager try to bait Kori into swinging at Victor, too. Fortunately for Victor, he figures this out fairly quickly and makes well sure he stays out of her way. Roy waits for a shot he might not get. 

His opening is brief, but Dick takes it. He throws his escrima hard while Ravager is engaged with Kori more directly, hitting him in the neck right beneath the edge of his mask. The shock from the taser bolts floors him immediately and he's left open for Roy to put an arrow in his head. 

That doesn't stop him. 

Ravager pulls the bolts out of his neck and the arrow out of his skull and reaches for his sword. Kori puts a heavy foot on it and he looks up at her. She lifts him with ease and chucks him, over head, into a building. The excess force topples a final straw and the building begins to crumble in on itself. 

"Well that was a mean bastard," Roy scoffs. HIVE agents always are. 

"Torch the building," Dick instructs. Ravager begins climbing out of the rubble. "Too late." 

"You're not getting rid of me that easy," Ravager assures, standing up and dusting himself off. Dick laughs. Kori picks up his sword, brandishing it, and Victor moves into place ninety degrees from her. 

"Stop playing with him already," Dick purrs. "I want his _blood_ all over the _fucking_ street! Is that too much to _fucking_ ask!" 

"He has a healing factor," Victor notes. "A strong one." 

"Mm, I hadn't _noticed_ ," Dick snaps back with a grin. "Kill him." 

"If you have any ideas, we're all ears," Roy says sarcastically. "He already took out one of our heavies." Kori and Ravager get back into it as Victor tries to get a clear shot. Unlike Kori, he's physically incapable of hurting his teammates. Not that it would matter at this point. Dick's obviously going to have to do everything himself. 

"Give me that," he demands irritably, taking Roy's bow and snatching an arrow out of his quiver.

"Careful, don't take a finger off, sport," Roy warns sarcastically. Dick hits Kori in the back of the neck, taking her down with a powerful shock, and Ravager looks back at him sharply. Victor takes him off his feet with a blast and Ravager grabs his sword as he skids across the ground. Dick smacks the bow back into Roy's chest and stalks forward. Ravager slowly stands. 

"Little boss finally coming to play?" he asks. Dick grins full face. 

"Machine, down," he instructs as he pulls on his gloves. Victor disengages and promptly moves to start gathering up their unconscious teammates. Ravager looks to him then back to Dick suspiciously. 

"I won't let you retreat now," he warns. Dick laughs. 

"Oh, sweetheart," he purrs back. "You should have ran when you had the chance." Ravager swings at him when he gets close enough and Dick elegantly moves out of the way. He grabs Ravager's wrist and the shock on contact immediately makes him drop his sword again. In a painful lurch, he tries to shake Dick off but Dick isn't having it. He swings a leg up over his shoulder and swings himself onto Ravager's back, getting him into a headlock and applying a shock straight to his jugular. 

The close contact means Dick gets shocked too and it's so _sweet_. 

Ravager yells and struggles to get Dick off, wildly grabbing and finally moving on to risk maiming himself by flinging himself around. Dick lets go just before he's smashed into a wall, heaving himself onto Ravager's shoulders and flipping down onto his feet while Ravager crashes into the wall by himself. He pants and gasps for breath, slouching to the ground while he tries to collect himself. 

Dick walks a few feet away from him and fixes how his gloves sit. 

"Did HIVE give you that sword?" he asks. Slowly, Ravager gets to his feet again. He's out of breath, now. 

"What's it matter to you?" he replies mildly. He's buying time to recover. 

"You know," Dick hums, walking back towards him. Ravager tries to fend him off but he's already exhausted and Dick gets hands on him again, this time pressing both palms against his chest and delivering a shock straight to his heart and lungs. "You never answered my question; do you know the name of that sword?" 

Ravager struggles to catch his breath again when Dick pulls away. 

"It's just a sword," he replies with a scoff. Dick 'tsks' at him. 

"Just a sword?" he repeats. "Shame. You know, _Ravager_ , President Wilson may have greenlit the Brotherhood's projects in a desperate attempt to gain some _semblance_ of control, but that doesn't mean they were ready to go forward with testing." 

Dick picks up the sword and runs his hand along the flat of it with a shudder. 

"Do you know how many people this sword has killed?" he asks. Ravager is too out of breath to answer anymore. "No? Not even a guess? How many people do you think President Wilson killed?" 

Dick turns back to him.

"You fought the 'good fight', son," he promises, coming to get on his haunches in front of Ravager. Ravager flinches under his mask as Dick digs the sword into the concrete beside one of his thighs. He takes the sheathe off his waist and smiles. "Now die a worthless death." 

And Dick reaches up to peel the mask off his face. 

"Owlman, Talon. You're going to want to see this." 

X

Dick looks up from his musings as Bruce finally touches down. He smiles but it quickly fades when Clark isn't far behind. Bruce approaches him immediately and Dick eagerly saddles up to his side. 

"How is the project?" he asks curtly.

"We're pulling out _both_ Ultraman clones as we speak," Dick assures. Bruce looks at him a moment. 

"Two," he says. 

"That's right," Dick purrs. "Lex's first endeavour was a failure, resulting in a feral Kryptonian. Obviously knowing that would never stand up to the real Ultraman, he created a second; Ultraboy. Half Ultraman- half _Lex Luthor_." 

"We'll destroy the mutant at once," Clark says sternly. 

"We won't," Bruce replies. Clark gives him a nasty look. "This might come in useful. Why could you not wait to report this back to me at base?" 

"Oh, I could," Dick promises. He turns Bruce's attention to the body Donna dumps at their feet. "A present from HIVE." 

"Your 'problem', I assume," Bruce says. Dick kicks his body over and a brief glimpse of surprise crosses Bruce's face. 

"Who is this?" Clark asks. 

"Grant Wilson," Bruce says. 

"President Wilson's oldest son," Dick purrs.

"Good work," Bruce says. Dick basks contently in the praise. "Ultraman, show Wilson here home. Talon, go with him." Dick stops basking. 

"What? Why?" he demands. He _hates_ Ultraman. Bruce looks at Clark briefly as Clark picks up Grant's body by the neck like a broken doll. He gives Dick a look that obviously says he doesn't think too highly of Clark's verbal skills. Dick makes an exasperated noise. "Fine. Whatever. You finish handling the circus over there, then." 

"Meet back at the base when you're done," Bruce instructs. Still trying to keep him out of the cave. Maybe Dick should snap Tim's neck, too, teach Bruce a lesson about giving so much attention to someone not him. 

Dick crosses his arms irritably as Clark picks him up around the waist in his other arm and flies them off. The capital isn't a far fly from here- fortunately. Of course, as soon as Clark enters the airspace around the White House, everyone and their mothers know they're here. This will make for quite the news articles. Wilson hesitantly comes out to meet them. 

Clark throws Grant's body down on the lawn as they land and the second Wilson realises what it is, he rushes forward and collapses at his son's side. Without hesitation, he starts trying to give him CPR and Dick 'tsk's sadly. 

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Mr. Wilson, he's long since been dead," he assures. He adjusts in Clark's arms to be held more bridal and holds onto him fondly. Wilson doesn't stop and Dick climbs down and primps himself neatly before taking the sword off his back. Security quickly draw their weapons and Wilson signals them to stop before they can start a conflict. 

"Here, Mr. Wilson," Dick says. "He'd want you to have this." He tosses the sword and sheath down onto Grant's body and Wilson gives him a nasty glare. 

"You'll pay for this," he warns. Dick smiles solemnly. 

"You want to know the best part, Mr. Wilson? I didn't do this," he replies. "He fought well. Dare I say, he might have even stood a chance. His heart gave out." Wilson looks back down at him. "If you really think about it, _you_ did this. Funding the Brotherhood like that? We tried to warn you, you know. All your son wanted was to be a hero- like you, right?" 

"No, he wasn't- my son wasn't a part of the _Brotherhood_ ," Wilson snaps at him. "Whatever you did-" 

"You want this to be the Justice League's fault _so_ _bad_ ," Dick says. "Face it, Mr. Wilson, you killed your son- with your neglect, with your cowardice, with your _funding_ \- however you want to make the bed, you lie in it now." Wilson firms his jaw in anger and almost, _almost_ , Dick thinks he's going to lash out. 

He never does. 

Clark holds a hand out and Dick takes it, hopping up into his arms again and wrapping his own around Clark's neck fondly. He kisses Clark's jaw and smiles down at Wilson. 

"Truly, my condolences, Mr. Wilson," he says. "You raised a good man." 

"He was eighteen, Talon! He was just a boy!" Wilson yells at him. "Are you satisfied yet? How much more blood do you want!" 

"From you?" Dick replies, carding his fingers through Clark's hair. " _Gallons_." 

"We won't ask you again," Clark says. "Cease funding to the Brotherhood immediately or face repercussions." Dick gives him a little wave as Clark flies off again.

_Deathstroke_. How ironic. 


	2. Joey

Dick looks at Bruce as he enters the base, comfortably reclined on his side and more or less relaxing. He's been ready to go home since before this whole 'team' thing started but something tells him Bruce isn't here to take him home. No, not while Tim is still there. 

Tim isn't subservient to Bruce. He's stubborn and at best, goes along with whatever Bruce wants for his own gain. Trying to break him without Dick has been a mistake and one Bruce isn't going to acknowledge any time soon or ever. He knows full well if Dick comes anywhere near Tim, it wouldn't take much to put Tim back in his place: at Talon's feet. 

Tim's _obsessed_ with him.

Bruce looks up at him then down further at Kon-El. Dick thinks it's funny; _abomination_. Kon-El doesn't make any reaction to Bruce being there or looking at him and simply continues on with what he's doing, using Dick as a weight in his squats. So far, he's been akin to a golden retriever who failed therapy dog training; he's functional on his own, intelligent enough to be curious and capable enough to follow through to sate those curiosities, surprisingly gentle when instructed, and obedient even when told to maim and kill. 

Unlike 'Superior' who was utterly feral and uncontrollable when they tried to wake him up. It was funny watching him hit Clark in the mouth, though.

Ultimately, Bruce doesn't mention it. 

"How is the team?" he asks. Dick looks around the room. Donna and Kori have been making out for nearly an hour now and just as long, Roy's been sitting beside them staring with his mouth open like an idiot. Donna and Kori are fairly easy to deal with. They'll follow orders as given, usually without complaint or argument, and can be easily tempted with violence and sex respectively. Roy is a bit more trouble, frequently going against commands and debating orders Dick gives him. A swift strike is usually enough to put him right, though. 

Victor and Garfield sit in front of the TV, playing games. Victor, obviously, is negligible. His programming means they can repurpose him as they need for what they need when they need it. In his 'downtime', when he reverts back to his more human side, he's quiet and otherwise uninterested in most things. There's no signs of him trying to fight his programming- or even wanting to. 

Garfield is, as his moniker suggests, mostly feral. He's mainly interested in baser needs and desires; shelter, food, water, and company. He's bonded to Victor as his 'companion' which makes it easy to control him. Aside from that, training him to obey Dick has been going flawlessly; he hates being shocked and he loves being given food. Calling him off is usually more trouble than sicing him on someone. 

Wally naps in a recliner. He is, by far, Dick's favorite. He's motivated by Dick first and food second. If he was promised to be allowed to lick syrup off Dick's stomach, he'd murder everyone in this room and bring Dick their fingers- if he didn't eat them first. For some reason, Wally doesn't seem to realise that with the kind of power he has, he can simply _make_ people do what he wants. If he did, perhaps Dick would _actually_ be interested in him. Combined factors make him a snap to control. 

Bruce and Dick have very different ways of controlling their 'teams' but they both end the same. 

"Boring," Dick answers. "Can I come home yet?" 

"You have a new mission," Bruce informs. He brings a dossier up on the TV and Garfield growls in annoyment as their game is taken from them. Dick looks at it mildly. 

"A girl," he says. "My favorite game; kill, kidnap, or coerce?"

"Recruit," Bruce says. Dick pinches the bridge of his nose. "She goes by Crow. Find her, convince her, and bring her back here." 

"Dare I ask why?" Dick replies with some exasperation. Bruce flicks the image over to zoom in on the gem embedded in her face. 

"We have reason to believe she somehow entrapped Trigon within this crystal," he explains. "We want to keep him there and that means keeping a close eye on her. The close proximity of him seemingly has driven her mad. Stay on your toes and if she doesn't cooperate, do _not_ kill her." 

"Down, Kon-El," Dick instructs. Kon-El carefully lowers him back down on his feet and Dick brushes himself out. "Suit up." Kon-El walks off and Victor gives Wally a shove to wake him up before they and Garfield leave to get ready. Donna and Kori aren't paying attention and Roy just straight up doesn't hear. 

"Why don't you put some alcohol in your gaping hole and dehydrate yourself a little faster, _Harper_ ," Dick bites, louder this time. Roy gives him a nasty look. "I said _suit_ up!" 

"Let's continue this later," Kori purrs. Donna grins back and they wander off with Roy right behind them. Dick rolls his eyes as he looks back to Bruce. 

"Anything else?" he asks. "You're already making me watch over a bunch of worthless _assets_ you don't want to deal with in the League. Want to slap me in the face with your _cock_ , too? You know, make o _fficial_ how much I'm your _bitch_?" Bruce looks at him for a moment silently and Dick breaks out into a grin. 

"If you're not having fun with your toys, break them," he says. "I'll find new ones." 

"You never were good at taking a joke," Dick purrs back, reaching up to drape his arms over Bruce's shoulders. "It's not that I'm _not_ having fun, _Bruce_. I miss you. I miss _home_. When can I come back to Gotham?"

"Soon," Bruce says. Dick’s smile falls a little and he clenches his fingers behind Bruce's back. He's said that every time, now. He's starting to feel like he's _not_ going to be welcome back home ever. "I have another present for you." 

He hopes it's Tim. 

Bruce gestures to the door for his company to finally come in and Dick looks at him mildly. He turns back to Bruce and moves his hands to caress his jaw sweetly. 

"Father," he hums. "Putting a government _spy_ on my team? Do you _want_ me to _slit_ my own wrists? _Kill_ myself, maybe, so you can finally, _officially_ replace me with-" Bruce grabs his face hard and Dick winces as Bruce's fingers dig into his cheeks and he's held where Bruce can look down on him. 

"He's not a spy," he says. Dick shudders as he latches onto Bruce's wrist and wets his mouth. "This is Joseph Wilson." 

"I know who he is," Dick replies, looking at Joseph out the corner of his eye. "President Wilson's second oldest. Well, _first_ now." Joseph smiles at him. 

"He goes by Ravager," Bruce explains, releasing Dick's face and letting him right himself again. Dick moves over to examine Joseph up close. He's a bit bigger, though not by much, and Dick knows they're roughly the same age. "His meta gene allows him to possess and control others through eye contact. He can help you find Crow." 

"Why help us?" Dick asks. "Doesn't daddy dearest pamper you enough in that big house of yours?" Joseph looks at him questioningly and then to Bruce.

"He and Wilson don't see 'eye to eye'," Bruce says. "After his brother's death, Joseph had a falling out with Wilson. As our inside sources say, Joseph killed half a dozen secret service in a fight with his father. He was only stopped when Kane stepped in." 

"Aw, still soft on your mother?" Dick purrs. "How sweet." 

"She held him down while they forcibly sedated him," Bruce informs. Dick laughs. "He escaped from special care shortly after." 

"What's wrong?" Dick purrs. "Nervous? _Owl_ got your tongue? If you don't speak to me, I'm going to get hurt feelings here, Joseph." Joseph reaches up to pull down the high collar of his shirt, showing off the large, knotted scar that crosses his throat. " _Oh_ , you _can't_ speak." 

"Joseph is nonverbal," Bruce confirms. 

“Well now, how did you get _that_ pretty _little_ thing?” Dick purrs, reaching to stroke Joseph’s scar with the back of his fingers. Joseph leans into the touch heavily, exchanging heated looks with Dick. They’re going to have lots of fun together, he can tell. 

“Wilson refused to pay a ransom,” Bruce explains. “Joseph’s captors slit his throat. He survived on miracle alone.” 

" _Lovely_. Can you still scream?" Dick signs, nice and slow. Joseph smiles. 

"With you," he signs back. "I'd love to find out." 

_Oh_. 

Dick licks his lip. Well now, maybe Bruce has finally brought someone actually worth his time. He grabs the front of Joseph's shirt and yanks him forward. Joseph doesn't fight it, in fact, he pushes back and Dick grins as he back peddles towards the door. 

"I'll show you to your room," he purrs. "And help you- _suit_ up for our mission. I look forward to seeing you in action." 

"Report back when you have Crow," Bruce says. Joseph backs him into a wall and Dick laughs as he's pinned down. 

"Understood," he replies fleetingly, arching up to meet Joseph's kiss. Oh yes, this is going to be very, very fun. 


End file.
